Mobile Navigation

Top Navigation Menu

Today we’re finishing up our erosion experiments in our Summer of Science series and looking at how water can erode rock and soil. Next month we’re going to be examining Weather, visit our Summer of Science page for a schedule of what we’ll be studying.

The past few weeks we’ve talked about our planet on a grand scale; what it’s made of, its rotation and revolution, and why it’s shaped the way it is. This week we’re still talking about our Earth, in particular, we’re exploring how the erosion shapes our landscapes.

And as an added bonus we’ll be doing three experiments today and another two on Thursday! Before I get on with the experiments don’t forget that next month’s topic is Weather!

I know this is going to sound like a no-brainer but after you’ve been a grown-up for a while it’s nice to get a reminder on how to make friends, and as much as I’d like to think of myself as shy…I’m not. I talk too much, ask questions, and tell people way more than they wanted to know about me within the first few minutes of a conversation. It’s who I am. So, here’s a few things I’ve learned from both past and current experiences!

I’ve been so busy sharing our little science experiments and my BlogHer prep work, it feel like forever since I’ve actually been creative. Rest assured, with a new antique booth to get set up I have been running around, painting, polishing, and today I made a little something that didn’t take anytime but sure does look cute! (And these weren’t for the booth…they were for me!)

You know I love origami dresses, right? Sure there are other styles but I like to stick with the original design I made all those ornaments with last year. Like I said, I just love those little paper dresses and decided it was about time I just framed them and put them on the wall….or shelf.

This week we’re looking at how the Earth’s rotation creates night and day and how the Earth’s revolution creates the seasons. When writing out the schedule I questioned my decision to break these two topics into separate experiments, and with good reason. It’s impossible to make a clay model of the Earth, simulate it rotating, and NOT also revolve it around the sun. So this week there’s just this experiment…sorry.

Contrary to popular opinion, brands aren’t attending blogging conferences just to hand out swag and host swanky parties. They’re there to explore and build relationships with bloggers. Heck, it’s the reason I’m attending conferences and the truth is it takes more than a spiffy business card and a gregarious nature to make a memorable impression.

Simply put, I have about six seconds to hook them with my elevator pitch and then reel them in with my media kit. It is something I take very seriously and it’s also something I have been putting off because it IS so important.

Elevator Pitch…I’m not going to pretend to know what I’m talking about, my elevator pitch is tired and boring and quite honestly connecting with other foul-mouthed mothers is only going to take me so far.

Media Kit…um yeah, don’t have one. So I’ve been Googling, reading, and bookmarking. As I work on my media kit and elevator pitch I encourage you to do the same! Some of these are old, some are short, some are practically templates, but all are helpful!

It’s the second week in our Summer of Science series and we’re continuing on the topic of our Earth, what it’s made of and how that effects it’s rotation. The Wobbling Planet experiment is designed to show how the liquid metals inside our planet cause it to wobble and it actually slows its rotation.

Learning doesn’t have to end with the school year especially when there are easy and fun science projects out there to try. So this summer, every Tuesday and Thursday, we’ll be sharing a science experiment as part of our Summer of Science Series. We hope these quick and simple lessons help you keep the little minds in your house discovering new facts about the world around them!

Okay I screwed up…I had everything planned out to first learn WHAT the Earth was made of BEFORE we talked about rotation and revolution. Unfortunately I got a week ahead of myself on the calendar but things are back on track and in this experiment we’re learning about the layers of the Earth.

Have you ever had one of those years when things are going your way, but not easily? Ah well, on with the blog.

Today marked the official start to our Summer of Science series and instead of jumping all over the place we’re going to be spending this month learning about our Earth. Beginning with why it bulges in the middle.

I’m going to share with you a video of a project we planned and executed, though not successfully.

In case you didn’t catch the real lesson of this experiment, here it is: The force of the Earth’s rotation causes the poles to flatten out a little and the equator to bulge.

This experiment was a fail for us but there’s an easy fix to it. Hold up a piece of string and ask your kids to imagine that the string represents the Earth. Spin the string, lasso style, and point out that middle bulges and the top and bottom kind of flatten out, just like our Earth. Duh, why didn’t I think of this before?

This Thursday we’re going to talk about the our wobble and I’ll have our Summer of Science Page up and running so you can find links to all the experiments as well as a calendar for what’s coming up in the next few months!

Please for the love of all that is holy, forgive this video, there is a reason I’m posting this at 10 o’clock at night…it’s bad…really bad. Go ahead have a laugh at my expense.

In case you didn't catch it in my ramblings, I’m going to BlogHer this year. If you have a moment go check out these hashtags #blogher12 over on Twitter…it will scare you. To calm my rising anxiety I've started writing lists and thinking about ways to make the most of this experience because its going to take more than a suitcase full of swag (that I'd never buy in the first place) to get my Mommy guilt to subside! I want to make real connections at this event and that means being prepared and putting my best foot forward.

Here’s a quick preview of the topics I’m going to be talking about and tackling each week leading up to the big event! P.S. The best tips and tricks I’ve ever learned have come from other bloggers so if you have anything I should know please pass it along! Also, I’ll be adding links to this post as the date approaches so pin it, bookmark it, whatever.

Well, you may or may not know that my camera decided to die on me last Thursday so while I pray to the Canon Powers That Be for a replacement, I’m stuck using my rather crappy back-up to show off my latest Mod Podge creation. You have been warned.

Back when my little brother still lived in the state, he found this killer, men’s dress form on one of our antiquing trips. As luck would have it this lovely piece has fallen into to my hands and you better believe I couldn’t wait to get busy with the Mod Podge.

After ripping off the dry-rotted fabric I realized the cardboard underneath was pretty fragile. I started out applying the podge directly onto it but found it much better to just coat the individual pages and slap them on. I haven’t applied a top layer, honestly I’m trying to decide if it’s even necessary and I’m afraid instead of being rather soft, it may get that tacky feel to it. What do you think?

In other junking news, I wanted to show off a few of our latest finds!